Aesthetic, self-aligning shingle for hip, ridge, or rake portion of a roof

Abstract

There is provided a hip, ridge, or rake shingle, which includes a shingle panel and at least one rigid back member. The shingle panel has a substantially planar lower surface. The at least one rigid back member has a length substantially the same as or greater than the length of the shingle panel. The rigid back member is attached to the substantially planar lower surface of the shingle panel. The rigid back member includes a step in thickness in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the substantially planar lower surface and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the rigid back member. In addition, the thickness of the rigid back member at the high level of the step is greater than the thickness of the rigid back member at one of its ends. There is also provided an asphaltic adhesive including from about 62% to about 99% by weight of an asphalt cement; from about 0.5% to about 15% by weight of a first thermoplastic having a glass-transition temperature in the range from about 190° F. to about 260° F.; and from about 0.5% to about 15% by weight of a second thermoplastic having a glass-transition temperature in the range from about −55° F. to about 0° F.

We claim:  
     
       1. A hip, ridge, or rake shingle comprising: 
       a shingle panel having a substantially planar lower surface and an upper surface; and  
       at least one rigid back member having a length substantially the same as or greater than the length of said shingle panel and attached to said substantially planar lower surface of said shingle panel, said at least one rigid back member having a step in thickness in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to said substantially planar lower surface and parallel to the longitudinal axis of said at least one rigid back member, the thickness of said at least one rigid back member at a high level of said step being greater than the thickness of said at least one rigid back member at an end of said at least one rigid back member.  
     
     
       2. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said shingle panel is composed of an asphalt material and said upper surface of said shingle panel includes a granular material thereon. 
     
     
       3. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 2 , wherein said shingle panel further comprises a rubberized material. 
     
     
       4. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 3 , wherein said rubberized material is a styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer. 
     
     
       5. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said step is capable of interlocking with an end of a shingle which is substantially identical to said hip, ridge, or rake shingle. 
     
     
       6. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one rigid back member includes channels having openings formed therein communicating between a side of said at least one rigid back member and an area near the longitudinal center axis of said shingle panel, whereby when said shingle is installed on a ridge vent roof, said channels allow ventilation of the roof to the outside environment. 
     
     
       7. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 6 , wherein said channels are arranged in a zig-zag or herringbone pattern. 
     
     
       8. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 6 , wherein the width of the openings of said channels along the sides of said at least one rigid back member is less than or equal to ¼ inch. 
     
     
       9. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 6 , wherein said at least one rigid back member includes a trapezoid-shaped base having longitudinal edges and a plurality of walls extending from said base, said plurality of walls forming said channels. 
     
     
       10. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 9 , wherein said at least one rigid back member includes a plurality of pins extending from the longitudinal edges of said base. 
     
     
       11. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one rigid back member includes a planar base surface that is attached to said substantially planar lower surface of said shingle panel, a surface inclined with respect to said planar base surface, and a surface parallel to said planar base surface; and wherein said step in thickness of said at least one rigid back member is formed at the juncture of said inclined surface and said parallel surface. 
     
     
       12. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one rigid back member includes cavities formed therein. 
     
     
       13. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one rigid back member is composed of an injection-molded thermoplastic material. 
     
     
       14. The hip, ridge, or rake shingle of  claim 13 , wherein said thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting essentially of polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl-acetate (EVA), ethylene-mythylene-acrylate (EMAC), neoprene, and polychlorosulfonated polymer (Hypalon).